Terms and Conditions (valdangelo)

Exposition

Trying to maintain chapter titles, but I will change something if it doesn't fit anymore.

There is this odd, annoying really, aspect to anger that clouds our minds and loosens our tongues; or, to put it simple, anger makes us say and do stupid shit.

So here is Nico, sitting at a coffee shop, surrounded by most of his maybe friends, two weeks from the holydays, trying to convince one of them to pretend to date him, all because he couldn't keep his mouth shut. It started, oddly enough, with Persephone.

After the whole Will fiasco, and the discoveries its aftermath brought, Nico's step-mom had gotten into her head that Nico couldn't make good relationship choices... ok, so maybe there was more to it than just that, but Nico refused to disclose.

The problem was, not that his friends were against the idea, well, they kind of were but they were still willing to help; but rather, the fact that none of them could actually help. Jason is going with Piper to LA for the holydays, and Reyna is a girl; and everyone else in the table wasn't an option because Nico's family was aware of their current status.

He's two minutes away from laying his head on the table as is the usual sign of defeat, when in comes Leo Valdez, slumping into the table, unaware of the fact that the entire table of 8 has their attention on him.

It's been almost a year since the last time they've been together, Nico's visited the shop a few times, first when his stove broke, and recently when his car did; but they haven't actually talked past the usual conversation that would take place in such events, and passing comments about Hazel. Nico can't really tell which of them is avoiding the other, or if maybe it's both of them; things had ended rather awkwardly after all.

"Hey, I have bad news"

Jason gives Nico a pointed look, which Nico didn't want to acknowledge, because what Jason was suggesting was literally the worst idea. He shifts in his seat though, because Leo is actually looking him in the eyes, and that's... it's been a while since he's done that.

"What's wrong?"

Leo lets out a sigh, brushing a hand through the back of his hair.

"The shop got flooded during the storm last night, everything's been delayed a week, and since we need the money, I can't refund you"

Then he puts his hand on the table, fingers tapping a pattern against the wood, too fast to make out.

"But, like, if there's any way for me to make it up to you sans money..."

There's rapid head movement between the two of them, like they're playing a tennis match, only Nico doesn't think anyone in the group would be good at tennis, except maybe Reyna because she's Reyna. And it's a terrible idea, really, particularly with how things are between them, but on the other hand...

On the other hand, Nico's three parts desperate, and one part in need of his car to even go home for the holydays; and he can't take a random person because they'd be found out in two minutes flat, and then he would have to deal with the fact that he tried to trick most of his family. So he sends a quick prayer to whatever higher power is out there, and bites the bullet that's been given to him.

"Actually..."